


in other words, i love you

by myouwos



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, and nayeon is her biggest supporter, nerd mina is the absolute best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25470616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myouwos/pseuds/myouwos
Summary: "when she will think back on this years later, mina will realize this is when it happened- when she fell for a complete stranger. all it took was a comforting hold and a honest smile for her to decide that, whoever this nayeon girl was, she would someday be her girlfriend.problem is, mina does not know how to win someone's heart. so she asks the internet."orthe six steps on how to get the girl- which mina follows to the letter, not that it always works in her favor, commissioned by @jeongpapi
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina
Comments: 31
Kudos: 412





	in other words, i love you

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for commissioning me, your support really means a lot🥺 really hope you'll like this!
> 
> for nico!

no one has ever paid much attention to mina. 

  
  


in kindergarten, she used to be the quiet kid who drew in a corner of the room and tried to get herself forgotten by the rest of the class. she was fine with coming up with stories of her own in her mind and keeping them to herself, coloring countless books until the pencils she used were too tiny for her small hands to hold. 

  
  


the only friend she had then was jihyo, the know-it-all kid who learned how to count to twenty before everyone else did. mina remembers being so impressed by it that she shared her lunch with the little girl and her two pigtails. it was a peanut butter sandwich and a small bottle of orange juice. jihyo had been so grateful for the gesture that she taught mina how to count to twenty-one. it was sweet, and mina was still oblivious to the joy having friends can bring to someone. 

  
  


nothing much has changed since kindergarten, really.

  
  


high school would have been difficult for her to handle if it wasn't for the class president always looking after her. mina never asked jihyo for anything, but through elementary school up to high school, she absolutely never took her eyes away from the lonely girl unless she was convinced that everything would go well for her. 

  
  


it never did go well, and that's certainly the problem here. 

  
  


because of course she would be the one targeted by most of the school's bullies, of course they would choose her, unable to defend herself most of the time and rarely bothering with fighting back. mina has long ago learned that kindergarten was certainly the best part of her life. being able to draw wide trees with pink leaves and a dozen dogs, all different, to follow her around- that was peaceful, and the only time other kids bothered her were when they accidentally walked on her drawings.

  
  


today, they step on her consoles and throw insults at her face whenever she dares to hold eye contact. it's tiring, and she misses the afternoons she would spend with jihyo running around the playground, moments that would end with them exhausted, sharing a small juice box- grapefruit when mina chose it, apple when jihyo did. and really, she would do anything to go back to those times. because today, jihyo has a ton of friends who are certainly a lot better at giving back all of the love they receive from her than mina is, and she doesn't need her anymore.

  
  


and yet, jihyo stays. 

  
  


and mina always gratefully shares her lunch with her. 

  
  


until her world does not strictly revolve around her anymore, because mina finds someone else. someone unexpected, but someone she believes could be a lot more than jihyo ever was to her, that could allow the older girl some sort of break from having to care for her. 

  
  


"nayeon?" 

  
  


she only looks up from behind her hands when the boy towering over her takes a step back and a soft hand wraps around her wrist, bringing her up from the ground. there's a girl staring at her in worry when her eyelids slip open, blinking, and mina wonders if she hit her head a bit too hard on the wall and jihyo is now slightly taller, has short brown hair, and a smile that reminds her of the pastel pink bunny plushie she used to have as a child. 

  
  


but no, she's not imagining anything. the boy did call her nayeon, after all.

  
  


"if i ever see you and your jerks of friends anywhere near her again i'll have a little talk with my father. wouldn't want that, would you?" the girl, nayeon, isn't staring at her anymore then, and although she does not see the look in her eyes, she knows she would hate to be on the other side of the situation. never has she seen him look so scared before, not even when she threatened to call the cops on him when he broke her nintendo switch controller last week. it makes pride swell in her chest, to think that someone believed her to be worth defending. 

  
  


later on, mina will find out that nayeon is the principal's daughter, and would certainly be able to chase away all of her bullies in a single look.

  
  


that's actually what she did, actually.

  
  


"you alright?" 

  
  


when she will think back on this years later, mina will realize this is when it happened- when she fell for a complete stranger. all it took was a comforting hold and an honest smile, and suddenly, the world started turning as her lungs learned to breathe normally again.

  
  


but back then, she was still too oblivious to notice the rapid, uncommon beating of her heart and the sweat forming on her palms. all mina knew was that, in one way or another, she could see herself loving this girl as much as she loved jihyo and the animal crossing version of her switch. and that, if asked, she would even lend her the blue controller so they could play together. 

  
  


and yet, her obliviousness did not stop her from hoping for something more, something she'd never allowed herself to consider before. as she watched nayeon walk away and go back to where she came from once she told her she was alright, her mind was already entirely made up.

  
  


whoever this nayeon girl was, she would someday be her girlfriend. 

  
  


that might have been too ambitious, sure. it's not like she knew anything about her, and for all she knew nayeon might already have a boyfriend- or she might not even be interested in girls. but ever since kindergarten, mina had chosen to believe in her dreams, even the craziest ones, because that was the only way for them to ever come true. 

  
  


may they include pink trees and puppies, or someone willing to love her back. 

  
  


nayeon was her dream then. 

  
  


and mina intended on making sure it would come true. 

  
  


(she only encountered her first obstacle when she realized she had no idea of how to get a girl she liked to be her girlfriend. 

  
  


the thought of asking jihyo for some help did brush her mind, but she chose not to bother her too much. she already had to climb her tree for her yesterday in order to get her bag from one of the branches, so this, mina will handle on her own.

  
  


and with some well-needed help from the internet, of course.) 

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


the first step, according to wikihow, is to introduce herself. 

  
  


that might not seem like much, but for someone like mina who hasn't said more than a word to anyone in weeks, it takes a lot from her. her timidity is not something she has ever been ashamed of although she supposes her life might have been easier on some aspects if it wasn't for the need to constantly hide and stay away from any kind of social gathering. but as she rehearses the way she's going to introduce herself to nayeon in front of the mirror, she figures out it's making it all a lot harder on her.

  
  


"hi, i'm myoui mina. i like legos." she pauses, staring at her own reflection in contemplation for a short instant. until she shakes her head, sighing, because that's probably not the best way to make anyone want to befriend her at her age. sure, she made a temporary friend in fifth grade because of this passion of hers- jeongyeon, she now is the cool athlete of the school and always greets her kindly when they pass each other in the halfways- but it won't work with someone like nayeon. 

  
  


no, nayeon is… classy, she supposes. nothing about her screams that she has any kind of interest in anything other than the outfits she chooses each morning and her classes. 

  
  


in the end, mina decides to stick to her name and simple 'how are you'. it obviously does not go as planned. 

  
  


she spots nayeon as soon as she arrives, head in her locker, and slows down, giving herself time to mentally prepare herself for her first official interaction with the girl. her heart is racing, her palms embarrassingly sweaty, and the urge to turn around and run back out is getting more pronounced with every step she takes. it feels as if time slows down to give her time to choose whether or not this truly is what she wants. as if it warns her of the consequences of her actions. 

  
  


but mina is already far too gone for doubts to keep her from taking the final step.

  
  


she stops in front of nayeon, hands gripping the straps of bag nervously. the locker door hides her from the still busy girl, and nayeon only notices her presence when she closes it, a light gasp slipping past pink colored lips mina finds herself staring at. a hand settles over her chest and she laughs, surprised to find her here at such an hour. 

  
  


nayeon always arrives before everyone else in order to study for exams, and she has never noticed mina around during all these years. not that she's complaining, of course not. mina is certainly the best company she could ask for.

  
  


"h-hi…" mina lets go of her bag to wave shyly, the gesture looking more robotic than natural- probably because she rehearsed it a dozen times in her mother's car this morning- and giggles nervously, showing her gums. "mina." she adds, her hand- and her smile- dropping back down as soon as she realizes she missed some of the words. 

  
  


nayeon blinks. a smile naturally spreads on her lips as she waits for her to continue, but before she can reply, mina cringes, realizing she messed this up by missing half of the sentence she'd rehearsed for hours, and turns around, running away from her. her footsteps barely make any noise even as she runs, and nayeon watches as she fails to open the door on her first try and disappears in another hallway in panic. 

  
  


the laugh she lets out then is one of sympathy more than it is mocking, and she simply grabs her bag before walking to her first class of the day. 

  
  


a few minutes later, as she doodles on a piece of paper, nayeon whispers a soft "cute" to herself, someone very special in mind.

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


the second should be a lot easier for her to succeed at, mostly because this one does not need for her to speak. 

  
  


all mina has to do is let nayeon know she's interested by holding eye contact often. easy enough for anyone to manage to do that well, really. that is, unless said person has no idea of just how much staring is seen as socially acceptable and might take the advice to the letter. a person like mina, actually.

  
  


her first try is not exactly a failure. the problem is pretty simple to rule, and she will make sure to work on her strategies. 

  
  


it doesn't work as she had hoped because nayeon never notices her presence, nose in her books as she walks around school grounds or too busy with choosing which textbooks she should bring to class. the locker is where she meets her again, but this time mina makes sure to busy herself as well- the advice did say that staring straight at someone without doing anything might make her look like a serial killer, and the last thing she wants is for nayeon to think she has ever killed someone. (she did take that to the letter as well, it seems.) 

  
  


but mina would not call this an entire failure for the sole reason that it leads her to her best interaction with nayeon to date- mostly due to a slightly embarrassing situation, but the joy of the short-lived moment she and nayeon had is enough to get her to forget about it. 

  
  


she was so focused on trying to make eye contact with her that she accidentally let go of the thick dictionary she uses for english class, and the next thing she knew she was holding her hurt foot and keeping moans of pain silent, jumping around until her back hit the locker. that had definitely worked in getting nayeon's attention- certainly a lot better than staring at her would have- and suddenly, the look of worry she still vividly remembers from the first time they met was back in nayeon's eyes, stronger than ever. 

  
  


from what she heard from jihyo- no one is better at relaying rumors than her friend- nayeon has always been a very caring person. that's not what most would expect from the principal's daughter, and she had made that clear. but mina did not understand how anyone could see nayeon and believe that she could ever hurt someone from her own volition, connections in the school or not. she knows the rumors are true better than anyone.

  
  


this is the first time someone who isn't jihyo cares for her well-being in years, and nayeon did it twice in the span of a week. 

  
  


the heartwarming gesture almost makes her entirely forget about the pounding pain, but she still lets out a light groan of displeasure when she tries to walk again. 

  
  


"i hope i'm not the reason you keep getting in trouble considering it has been happening a lot around me." nayeon jokes, actually makes a joke to mina, and she's too stunned by it to react, simply staring at her absentmindedly like a goldfish. that almost ruins the moment entirely, nayeon waiting for her to do or say something again, but she seems to understand mina better now and simply laughs on her own, kneeling down to get the dictionary she accidentally let go of. 

  
  


"here, be careful next time. wouldn't want you to get hurt and miss pe classes. that's the only ones we have in common." 

  
  


mina thinks back to her wink- more like her attempt at a wink but she definitely does not mind- for the rest of the day. 

  
  


it makes butterflies dance in her chest, and flowers bloom in her heart. 

  
  


but what really saves the day, what causes mina to fall asleep with a dumb smile on her face and the feeling that her dream is almost close enough to touch, is what takes place during lunch. 

  
  


she tries the eye contact technique again, this time by sitting at the table and seat that are directly facing the girl she might have a crush on, and it works better than she could have imagined.

  
  


"hey mina," a voice calls her name out and although she was staring at nayeon during the entirety of lunch period, the meat she was supposed to eat now cold in her plate, she does not immediately realize it came from her. "do you want to eat with me?" 

  
  


nayeon's friends all turn to face her, and her cheeks redden from the newfound interest they seem to take in her, staring at her up and down with creased brows. the only thing that keeps her from running away in fear is the kind smile that graces nayeon's lips, showing honesty along with the sweetness mina fell for. she nods, timidly, pulse slowing down as she waits for nayeon to laugh and humiliate her in front of everyone like anyone else would have, her assurance as to how kind nayeon is becoming fragile by the second.

  
  


and when she walks home hours later, an uncontrolled joy evident in each of her steps, images of nayeon standing up from her seat to join her for a short but nonetheless happy time are coursing through her mind, mina refusing to let ever let go of those memories and watch them disappear. 

  
  


it's all she has, after all. 

  
  


for now, that is.

  
  


(mina does not yet know she will have a lifetime to make new ones.

  
  


neither does nayeon.)

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


the third step mentioned a joke, so mina turns to the only place she might find something to make nayeon laugh. 

  
  


two hours later, her stomach is hurting from how much she has been laughing in front of her phone, tears pooling in her eyes from the fun she has been having, alone, in her room, at two a.m. her mother passed by to make sure everything was alright with her earlier- it's obvious that she would worry, her daughter never speaks or any less laughs in her room unless it is to speak with some stranger she's playing with- but no one visited her room ever since. 

  
  


and really, mina should have never chosen a website with jokes that treated of a subject she is herself particularly attached to. mostly because nayeon probably won't understand any type of jokes about video games, any less some of the inside ones. 

  
  


but jihyo once told her that she should never stop being herself for the sake of someone else, and not once in her life has mina chosen not to listen to her advice- not that it always led her to greatness, but it's all she had anyway. 

  
  


so when she walks up to nayeon on the next day with a joke she stole from the internet and silently snickers as she remembers it, she doesn't doubt that nayeon will find it funny. anyone with a semblance of humor would laugh, and she's not saying this to reassure herself. no, mina believes she made the right choice, and nayeon will inevitably fall in love with her in the following minutes, all thanks to this. step three is quite a lot already, and although wikihow never said anything about when the girl was supposed to fall for her, she believes that's already quite a lot of effort. 

  
  


nayeon looks up from her phone when a shadow settles over her face, warmth of the sun now gone although mina's dimples have the same heartwarming effect on her.

  
  


"hi, how are you doing today? i didn't see you around yesterday, we should exchange numbers to reach each other easily." nayeon says, letting her phone fall into her bag, gripping the strap tighter as it threatens to fall off from her shoulder. 

  
  


that makes mina pause, because why is nayeon talking to her? no, this was supposed to go very simply. she had planned on walking up to her, greeting her, telling her joke and having a laugh with her, then walking back to where she came from once nayeon got tired of her. nothing in her calculations included nayeon taking interest in her well-being nor asking for her phone number, and that's what keeps her from formulating any kind of logical sentence in her mind. 

  
  


until nayeon's smile intensifies, and mina finally understands she's supposed to say something.

  
  


"you can write yours on my hand." she says, bringing her arm in front of nayeon and waiting for her to do as asked. it takes a few seconds for her to process what's happening and to stop wondering why mina isn't simply given her her phone for her to write her number in. but she stopped wondering about what goes on in her mind long ago anyway, and now is not the time for her to start doing it again. 

  
  


reaching for a pen in her bag, she carefully writes her number on top of her hand, mina looking emotionless the whole time although she's currently scared to forget about her initial mission of the day. not a day goes by without nayeon thinking about how adorable she is, and today is only adding to that. 

  
  


"here, you can have your arm back." nayeon winks and succeeds this time, but mina entirely misses the joke and furrows her brows, holding her arm close to herself. 

  
  


"i wanted to tell you something, by the way." she begins, taking a deep breath when nayeon nods, making it clear that her attention is focused on mina. it makes her blush although she has been learning to control the pink that coats her cheeks every time she's around nayeon. "a joke i read somewhere." 

  
  


raising an eyebrow in surprise, nayeon continues to nod, encouraging her to go on. that gives mina the last bit of bravery she needs, and without overthinking it anymore, she speaks.

  
  


"why are cats so good at video games?" mina asks, already chuckling as the answer replays in her mind. 

  
  


and right before nayeon can say something, still seemingly thinking about it, mina cuts her off to excitedly give her the answer. 

  
  


"because they have nine lives!" 

  
  


and although she will later understand that the only thing that prompted nayeon's own laughter were her giggles and radiant, proud smile, mina is glad to know she made nayeon laugh and succeeded at step three. 

  
  


there's something so sweet and innocent about mina, something that calls out to nayeon, and she never finds it in herself to tell her that joke might not be worth repeating to anyone. when she asks mina to tell her some more and she promises to come up with a new one each morning, just for her, she doesn't believe she will ever regret it. certainly because nothing about her interactions with the girl has ever felt awkward to her, although they would feel that way to many, and a few bad jokes are definitely not going to change that. 

  
  


not if they make mina laugh, and allow her a few seconds in her company every morning.

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


nayeon invited her on a date. 

  
  


well, mina is not entirely sure it's the romantic kind of date, but it's a date nonetheless. and she sees in it a perfect opportunity to bring step four to life.

  
  


she remembers reading something about girls liking puppies a lot a while ago, and it so happens that mina has a dog- sure, a lot older than a puppy, but it should definitely be enough to get nayeon to fall for her. at least, that's what the internet says, and mina believes it to be a lot more trustworthy than her own mind. 

  
  


problem is, wikihow never said anything about what to do when the girl you like has a puppy of her own, a puppy that ends up hating her dog and trying to bite its ear off as soon as it smells her companion. 

  
  


that would have been really useful information for mina. 

  
  


"kookeu, leave ray alone would you?" nayeon scolds the white fluffy puppy, tugging him closer to her side by his bright red leash, and mina cringes as the dog only barks louder. 

  
  


they were supposed to take a short walk in the park, to admire the ducks occasionally swimming around the lake and use this as an opportunity to relax from their classes. they were supposed to be side by side, and even hand in hand in mina's dreams, and it was supposed to be the most romantic moment of her life. and when all of that would have been over, when her feet would have hurt from the time they would have spent with each other, she would have invited nayeon to share an ice cream. 

  
  


when she dared to let herself dream, mina even saw nayeon laying a small kiss on her cheek right before they would part ways, and everything would have been absolutely perfect. 

  
  


mina was not fond of fairy tales when she was still a child, and always far preferred imagining herself as an astronaut than a helpless princess waiting for her prince. that still is the case today, but nayeon does make her see the appeal of love a lot better than any prince ever would. she likes it. she likes it a lot, even.

  
  


and although instead of all of this, the only kiss she got was from ray trying to lick strawberry ice cream off her cheek, and the only time she held nayeon's hand was to help her stand back up after kookeu accidentally made her fall by running after ray, it was a perfect first date. not because of this, no, this is what she chooses to forget about in order to let joyful memories reach the surface. 

  
  


it was perfect because nayeon's smile never once died down, mirth always shining in brown eyes. 

  
  


it was perfect because nayeon got rid of the few drops of melted ice cream ray missed below her mouth herself, softly wiping it with a napkin, and mina could almost see just how happy she was in the reflection of her eyes.

  
  


it might not fit everyone's definition of perfection, but all that mattered to mina and that is still just as important today, is the way she felt truly appreciated for the first time. 

  
  


"let's do that again soon, but i'll leave kookeu home this time." 

  
  


it was perfect, because nayeon wants it to happen again. 

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


step five might be the easiest of all and that only is because mina has learned to become comfortable enough around nayeon to call her a friend.

  
  


after what nayeon jokingly calls the dog incident, she almost entirely forgot to check the next steps she should be following. not because she wanted to give up, but because everything has been going so amazingly well with nayeon that she simply did not need any kind of advice anymore. nayeon likes her for who she is, and if that is as a friend or as more, mina does not mind. sure, her dream would be for nayeon to see her as something else, something special, but spending time with her is too great for her to care about such a detail anyway.

  
  


she eats lunch with mina every day now, leaving her actual friends behind for her. no one has ever done that for her, not even jihyo, and yet she met her three weeks ago. 

  
  


there are two possibilities for her to consider, the first being that nayeon has a heart of gold and refuses to leave anyone alone. the second one is that she genuinely enjoys the time they spend together. and a single look at how happy nayeon is every time that happens is enough for her to know the answer. 

  
  


so when step five asks for her to show nayeon just how comfortable she is in her presence, mina does the first thing she can think of. 

  
  


"father told me we'll be going on a short school trip to the beach soon, so hopefully we can be in the same group when that happens. and if not, you could just come over this summer. my house might not be as spectacular as the beach, but i do have a swimming pool we could make great use of." nayeon is barely looking at mina as she speaks, finger gently brushing her knuckles as they hold hands- that became a habit neither of them talks about, but that doesn't mean they do not both think a lot of it. mina on the other hand has not looked away from her for a single second, wondering when the right time for her to act will come. 

  
  


fortunately, she does not have to wait for much longer. nayeon pauses when she notices mina's silence and turns to face her, looking confused. 

  
  


"is something bothering you? it's alright if you don't like swimming, we can do a lot of other things anyway. the house is pretty calm when my sister isn't here, and she'll spend summer at my grandma's. you should talk to your-"

  
  


nayeon's voice dies down as arms unexpectedly wrap around her waist and bring her closer to mina. it takes some time for her to understand what exactly is happening, the sudden hug definitely surprising coming from mina who blushes every time she reaches for her hand to hold. but when she does, she quickly returns the warm and soft embrace of her friend, and chuckles in her ear. it has always been a sound that succeeded in chasing away mina's worries, certainly because she knows just how real it is, just how real it feels. 

  
  


she read somewhere that a hug is sometimes enough to say what her heart desires but her mind can not bring itself to say out loud.

  
  


and she doesn't know if it's working for nayeon, but as her head falls in the crook of her neck and she tightens her hold around her waist, she can feel all of the feelings she kept buried in her heart resurfacing. but the wave that crashes over her is gentle, the sea calm and relaxing, calling for her to jump into it and let the water submerge her. because the second she believes she might drown, nayeon is there, staring at her as she hovers over the delicate surface of endless blue, and smiles. 

  
  


and when she opens her eyes again, she can feel nayeon smiling against the side of her neck, and she knows nothing about this was a dream. 

  
  


not even the feeling of water surrounding her. 

  
  


it's raining, soft drops falling on top of her head, but the tree they're standing under protects them from the temporary rain. neither of them moves, the warmth they bring to each other enough for the rain to remain as the forgetful background of a picture she never wants to see disappear. 

  
  


it won't, and this she now knows. 

  
  


years later, this memory will still be so fresh and real in her mind that she and nayeon will be talking about it to remind each other of the beginning, still so far from the end. 

  
  


but today, mina is content with getting to live such a moment, even if the possibility of it ending to become a painful memory exists. 

  
  


"what did i do to deserve that?" 

  
  


nayeon's voice is always so soft, it reminds her of the days they spent riding bikes in areas of the city neither of them knew even existed, nayeon humming tunes from the soundtracks of the games mina excitedly told her about. 

  
  


and really, nayeon didn't do anything in particular to deserve such affection from mina. at least, not to her. all she did was befriend a girl she barely knew, and promise to never leave her side. and never did she break that promise. 

  
  


"i just… i like you a lot." 

  
  


"i like you a lot too, mina. i really do."

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


step six tells her to go for it. 

  
  


mina gets scared, and decides this is a rule she simply can not follow. 

  
  


not yet, not when nayeon is the first best friend she's ever had and she could risk ruining everything. it certainly is a cowardly move, to do all of this only to freak out right before she can bring this to an end and find out if all of it worked. but mina would rather be a coward and keep fond memories of the time she and nayeon were close than ones of rejection and unrequited feelings. so she doesn't say anything, and she starts avoiding nayeon.

  
  


it's not the smartest choice, especially not with how sympathetic nayeon is, but it's the only option she can think of then. the only way to preserve her own heart from the irreversible pain nayeon could bring to it. 

  
  


mina starts skipping lunch, instead getting something from the cafeteria and eating it outside, in a park nearby. nayeon calls her to ask her where she is and she always turns her down- it never stopped her from continuing to ask, never kept her from worrying, and that only makes it harder for mina. 

  
  


until she goes back to a routine she had long ago let go of. one that mostly consists of hiding from everyone and playing games on her phone until the time to go home comes.

  
  


nayeon finds her sometimes, even in places mina never told anyone about. 

  
  


"i know you too well not to understand that something is wrong, mina." 

  
  


and she really does. 

  
  


but mina still runs, and nayeon still has to chase after her, endlessly.

  
  


anyone would have certainly given up after a few days, especially someone as busy as nayeon who has other friends she could easily go back to. in all honesty, mina would not be mad if nayeon decided to stop, how could she when she's the one making everything so much more complicated than it should be? so every day, she arrives with the fear but also the hope that it will be the day nayeon decides she's had enough and can very well find everything mina gave to her in someone else. 

  
  


that day never comes.

  
  


quite the contrary of that happens, actually. because nayeon absolutely never lets mina go. 

  
  


"i know you've been avoiding me." nayeon corners her right before she could try to hide behind the school building, the walls colored from the school's artists who are fond of painting the building every change of season. "can you at least tell me what i've done wrong?"

  
  


it's been so long since mina has allowed nayeon to get so close to her, the girl now almost trapping her against the wall. it forces her to face feelings she had desperately tried to push back, and her heart is beating wildly in her chest, its rhythm only increasing the longer she stays in nayeon's presence. 

  
  


that's when mina actually loses all kinds of control over the logical part of her mind. 

  
  


she kisses her. 

  
  


it's as unexpected and gentle as the hug they once shared, but this time nayeon does not hesitate before returning the gesture. 

  
  


a first kiss is not something you're ever supposed to forget for it leaves a permanent mark tattooed on the heart of those who share it. 

  
  


mina kissed nayeon for the first time seven years ago. 

  
  


not a thing has changed since then.

  
  


from the butterflies flying in her chest, liberated by the simple touch of innocent and inexperienced lips, eager to learn and experience everything life has to offer, together. to the pink that spread up to her ears, before from the shyness of a new and intimate experience she never believed would ever be hers, today from how extremely lucky mina feels to be with nayeon, the girl she fell for, the girl who never broke the promise she once made. 

  
  


their first kiss was short and slow, and the only thing that changed today is how hard it is to separate them when they get lost in each other's touches and sweet words. 

  
  


their last one has not come yet, and certainly never will. neither of them will allow that to happen.

  
  


and in the end, the six steps on how to get a girl to become your girlfriend gave mina so much more than that. 

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


"i figured it all out when you told me that awful joke about cats, actually." 

  
  


mina's breath hitches, and she frowns, feets dangling in the water. it's cold, but it gives her a well-needed break from the blaring heat of the sun in the middle of summer. nayeon swims up to her, leaning over the edge of the pool and watching her girlfriend. 

  
  


"i thought you liked that joke." mina pouts, reaching for the lemonade nayeon's mother made for them this morning. it's still fresh, and she knows she should finish it soon before the sun warms it up and bees begin to take interest in the sugary drink. "and what about the other ones?"

  
  


instead of an answer, mina gets a kiss, nayeon slipping out of the pool just enough to lay a small one on her girlfriend's pout. 

  
  


"you hated them then." her pout disappears as soon as nayeon pulls away and goes back to swimming, laughing, amused at her frown. 

  
  


"let's just say you're lucky i loved you already by then." 

  
  
  


\-----

  
  
  


"you used wikihow to get me to date you and i fell for it. am i really that easy?" 

  
  


"wait until you find out how i came up with my proposal."

  
  


nayeon blinks, waiting for mina to laugh and tell her she's joking.

  
  


she wasn't.

  
  


(but the positive thing about all of this, is that mina did get a better sense of humor after all.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> miIfyeon on twitter<3


End file.
